


strength

by sylphh (icelandicc)



Category: Digimon Adventure tri.
Genre: Comfort, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-07
Updated: 2017-06-07
Packaged: 2018-11-10 12:23:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11126928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icelandicc/pseuds/sylphh
Summary: "I don’t want to be weak.” He muttered.





	strength

They never fought, not for real. It just wasn’t their way. Taichi and Yamato fought all the time, because it _was_ their way. But not Takeru and Hikari, no.

And yet here they were, Hikari staring Takeru down with hard eyes and Takeru baring his teeth, fists clenched and shaking. There was a vile energy bloating the air and making it hard to breathe, evidenced by Takeru's labored breaths. His face was reddish from yelling and his eyelashes were damp. Hikari's face was blank as she chewed on her lip til blood beaded under her teeth.

“Look, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter at all, so would you just _stop?_ ” Takeru demanded, voice low and teetering on the edge of a threat. Hikari’s eyebrows pressed downwards and she frowned.

“No, it _does_ matter. You can't keep doing this!” Hikari managed between clenched teeth. She let her shoulders fall from where they were drawn up to her chin and exhaled slowly through her mouth. “You can't keep doing this to _us_ . When will you stop tuning us out? Takeru all we want is to _help!_ ”

“Well maybe I don't _want_ your help! Maybe I'm fine the way I am!” Takeru slammed the side of his fist against the wall, focused on the floor in front of him, hair obscuring parts of his vision. His eyes were dark and his face lined with anger. He looked ferocious like that. Feral.

“There are more important things, more important _people_ we have to worry about,” the stress on _people_ made Hikari’s heart heave. Takeru offered a weak smile that was out of place paired with his upturned eyebrows and tense frame.

“Don’t bother with me. I know how to cope. I’ve always known how to cope.” His smile broke at the edges and collapsed back into that tired indifference.

The frown etched into Hikari's face deepened.

“You’re full of shit Takeru, and a fool if you think I’ll believe any of that. Listen, you _are_ important, more important than you know. Do you have any _idea_ of the effect if something happened to you? Yamato, it would _destroy_ him.”

Takeru looked down, fist falling back to his side, white-knuckled and quivering.

“I don’t, I don’t want to be _weak_.” He muttered, face still hidden. “I have to protect everyone. I have to protect _you._ ”

“You don't have to be strong all the time. Especially not for me. Let me be strong for you, for a change. Please?” Hikari’s voice was so soft, laced with the misery of empathy and a mutual understanding. She went over to him and wrapped him up in her arms, pressed her nose into his shoulder with a small smile and let his head fall against her neck, feeling the tremors that ran through him. Takeru’s shoulders shook and Hikari felt more than heard the choke in his composure as he bit back a sob against the fall of her hair on her neck.

“You shouldn’t have to deal with me. _I’m sorry_ ,”

 _He’s been suffering for so long._ The beginnings of tears stung at her eyes, and she let them fall.


End file.
